The Maiden, The Soldier, and The Prince
by Vitality Astral
Summary: [And they should’ve had a happy ending, right mama?] The girl asked, interrupting the story. The mother smiled a small, sad smile. [Yes. They should’ve had a happy ending...] Oneshot. A Whatif Story.


This is my version of what if certain things did not happen in New Moon.

**Edit**: I just tweaked a small thing or two. No major change.

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or the characters from it.

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_Story Time_

"Elizabeth?" A young girl turned her head from the window to see her mother standing in her door way. "What are you doing? It's time for bed."

The girl smiled up at her mother and replied, "I'm looking for the cat."

"Cat?" her mother asked. The girl just nodded.

"I always see a cat with yellow eyes out there." The mother smiled at her daughter, so full of joy and innocence.

"Well, you'll have to look for the cat another time, because it's time to go to sleep." She said, picking up her daughter and laying her in bed.

"Aww…Well, can you tell me a story then?" the girl asked with pleading eyes. The mother sighed.

"Alright; just one story though. Which one would you like to hear?" the girl sat there, pondering over her answer. Finally, she looked at her mother with bright eyes and a wide smile.

"The one about the Maiden, the Soldier, and the Prince." The mother laughed and smiled at her daughter once more.

"That's your favorite, isn't it?" the girl nodded excitedly. "Alright, now how does it start off?"

"A long time ago…" the girl started. The mother laughed again.

"Yes, a long time ago, there was a maiden who was new to a small town. She wasn't sure if she'd fit in at all. One day, while she was exploring the town, she literally ran into a handsome and brave soldier.

"The maiden couldn't believe how handsome he was. He was so breathtaking that it made the maiden's heart flutter terribly." The little girl giggled and continued to listen.

"But, it didn't seem as though the soldier felt the same. He seemed very cold with the maiden. But as the days passed, he couldn't seem to ignore her any longer. He realized that he had feelings that ran deep for the maiden. One day, as the maiden was shopping in the marketplace, she almost got hit by a carriage. The soldier saved her just in time.

"And ever since that day, the maiden and the soldier became close. The maiden found out why he had been so cold to her when they first met. He told her that because he was a soldier, he was bound to always be away from her. He didn't want to put her through that if she was to ever become his wife. But despite all that, the maiden and the soldier fell in love."

"And they should've had a happy ending, right mama?" the girl asked, interrupting the story. The mother smiled a small, sad smile.

"Yes. They should've had a happy ending. But, the months passed and they were happy for a short amount of time. One evening though, the soldier took the maiden to a field to tell her something important. The soldier told her that he would be going off to war and would be leaving her. The maiden stubbornly replied that she would wait for him. Forever, if she had to. The soldier told her that he would not be coming back and wanted her to go on and live life like he was never there. The maiden didn't believe him and refused to let him go.

"He then told her the most heartbreaking words…He told the maiden that he did not love her anymore. The maiden was struck with grief as she watched the man she loved walk out of her life." The mother took a shaky breath before she continued.

"The months passed and the maiden almost seemed lifeless to the townspeople around her. One fateful day, she met the prince of the town in disguise. She had always heard of him, but wondered what he was doing in the town. He told her that he wanted to escape palace life for a bit. After that day, the prince and the maiden became really close. The maiden felt the hole in her chest heal slowly. Not completely, but it was healing nonetheless.

"The days passed and one day, the prince asked the maiden for her hand in marriage. The maiden immediately thought of the soldier. Knowing that maybe he would want her to be happy, even if it meant with another man, she accepted. The maiden and the prince were married and they lived happily ever after." The mother finished with a small smile. "Alright, now it's time to sleep." She said, tucking in her daughter.

"Hey mama?"

"Yes, sweetie?" the girl played with her fingers before responding.

"Can I tell you a secret?"

"Of course, dear."

"You know what I think?" the girl whispered, leaning towards her mother. "I think the soldier did love her." The mother's eyes became misty, but she smiled.

"Who knows, sweetheart? Maybe he did. Now go to sleep." She said, kissing her daughter lightly on the forehead.

"'Night mama. I love you." The girl called, closing her eyes and falling into a peaceful sleep.

"I love you too." The mother whispered. She turned off the lights and closed the door behind her. She leaned against the door, closed her eyes, and sighed.

"That prince seems very charming." A voice came, making her jump. She opened her eyes to find her husband standing there. She smiled a weak smile.

"Yes, he is." She responded. Her husband took another step towards her.

"But that soldier was an idiot. He didn't know what he was leaving behind." He said, wrapping his arms around his wife. She remained silent for a moment.

"I chose you, didn't I?" She replied, looking up at him with soft eyes.

"Yeah and I'll never leave you." He said, kissing her gently. She hesitated, but responded to the soft kiss.

Outside the window of young Elizabeth's room, a pair of topaz eyes watched and heard the whole scene before him. The pair of eyes hardened over as he heard the last part of the conversation between the wife and husband. Before he left swiftly, he mumbled something under his breath.

"**_Be happy, Bella."_**

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This was very sad to write, but I'm proud of it. So please review. 


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